Long-term impact of Thymosin Alpha 1 as an immunomodulatory therapy on the treatment of lung cancer patients (December 2021)
A group of Chinese researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical status of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, they discovered a significant difference in mortality rates between patients treated with Thymosin Alpha 1 (Tα1) and those who were not treated with it, showing mortality rates of 11% and 30%, respectively.
Among COVID-19 patients admitted to two hospitals in Wuhan, China, between December 2019 and March 2020, 76 severe cases were tracked, all of whom had been hospitalized for at least 10 days. Of these, 36 received subcutaneous injections of Tα1 for 7 or more consecutive days, while 40 did not receive the additional medication. Upon admission, there were no significant demographic or clinical differences between the two groups. The researchers utilized available data, including clinical records, laboratory tests, and test results.
Since no specific medication has been developed for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the only way to combat it is by increasing the number of T lymphocytes and enhancing their antiviral functions. The thymic polypeptide hormone Tα1 is known to regulate the production, differentiation, and activity of T lymphocytes, thus it was chosen as an adjunct therapy alongside standard antibacterial and antiviral treatments. The most noteworthy finding of the study was the difference in mortality rates: 4 out of 36 (11.11%) patients in the Tα1 group versus 12 out of 40 (30%) in the non-Tα1 group, suggesting the effectiveness of the additional therapy.
Another part of the study aimed to determine whether Tα1 influences the restoration of T lymphocyte counts. The conclusion was that this effect occurs in patients with sufficiently low T cell counts or in elderly patients. This suggests that Tα1 may be particularly useful for treating COVID-19 cases with lymphopenia.
The scientific article also demonstrated that Tα1 therapy can counteract T lymphocyte depletion during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Although the study has limitations due to its retrospective nature, small sample size, and the lack of complete clinical information for some patients, it shows the potential to reduce immune system damage and enhance the body’s recovery during COVID-19.
We would like to note that the medicinal product TFX, which is a fraction of biologically active peptides isolated from calf thymuses, has immunomodulatory effects, substituting for thymus function, which is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. Long-term use of the preparation has shown beneficial effects on conditions associated with immune deficiencies. Positive clinical results have been obtained, especially in viral diseases (e.g., influenza). Studies have shown that TFX contains Thymosin Alpha 1 and Thymosin Beta 4, which, in light of the above article, play a significant role in therapy during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The full article is available here: https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/71/16/2150/5842185.